Moon Cats: Silver Millennium
by ShadoeFox
Summary: Before the fall of the Silver Millenium, Luna was the most respected advisor and servant of the Queens court while Artemis was... well... wasn't. A Moon Cats Prequel.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Um… that's basically it other then saying I also didn't make no money off this little project.

AN: This is a Prequel to all the Moon Cats stories, and isn't required for any of them… though it might give away some information about them. I'm writing this along with Moon Cats: Walkabout where some of what seemed obvious to the cats here is going to be new for Artemis and Luna there. I'm going to use the North American dub names for the Sailor Senshi in this one as their "Silver Millennium" names because I'm lazy.

Moon Cats: Silver Millennium

Prologue

Artemis grumbled unintelligibly to himself as he pulled one furry leg free from the rubble surrounding him. His paw like hand had several patches of fur missing as it shoved the scorched timber aside. "Love Chain Reaction? What have I told you about making up attacks on the fly Venus!"

The blond laying next to him, also grumbling, replied "Well it worked didn't it?"

"How exactly do you consider this working?"

"We defeated the stupid Youma and the Metalla cult that summoned it!"

"I quote the queen now. 'Princess of Venus and Guardian Commander Artemis, I must ask that you be very careful not to damage the ancient temple they are using. It's a beautiful and historic building and deserves restraint in removing the misguided souls that have taken it over.'" Artemis looked around at the somewhat less historic and definitely not beautiful pile of rubble surrounding them. "This is definitely NOT showing restraint."

"Well the priority was to defeat the cult right! Besides, I don't remember you crying out for restraint while you were swinging from the chapels chandelier blasting away with that stupid staff of yours! I mean, you blew up a fifty foot tall statue!"

"That was different!"

"How!"

Artemis grinned, his soot stained face rather gray from the ashes covering it. "Style my lovely princess. Style."

"So, who's sending the report to Luna?"

Artemis groaned and dropped to the ash covered ground.

* * *

Luna crept slowly through the castle, her black paws making not one sound against the lunar marble floor. Normally known for her dedication, and frenetic need to finish any duty left to her, the slow pace she maintained was out of character. All the time she muttered about stupid white cats and blonde ditz's.

Princess Serenity, aka Serena, followed her mentor at an equally slow pace. She'd never admit it to anyone, especially not Luna, but it amused her to see the chief adviser to the crown procrastinating on ANYTHING. Not to mention very satisfying after gods knows how many lectures against it. "So Luna, did you actually receive a personal letter from Arty, or just his report?" Her tone was innocent, her expression almost screaming 'Butter won't melt in my mouth!'.

"WHY WOULD I WANT A LETTER FROM THAT…. THAT…. BRIGAND!" Luna yelled, spinning on her charge with an expression of pure indignation on her black furred face. Serenity the younger just grinned in return, and managed to catch the towels the unfortunate maid who'd been coming around the corner had dropped at the frightening (To most sane people) outburst from the Mau.

"You know why."

"Oh please princess, you know me better then that. And stop grinning like…. Like… the cat that got the canary!" The cat grumbled, then grumbled some more as the girls grin grew larger at her ill chosen colloquialism. "You know what I mean."

Serenity did her best to look properly abashed, or at least tried to do a good impression of it around the huge smile on her face. "Your right Luna, I know you so well." Then the Princess of the Moon, Heir apparent to the throne of the silver millennium started walking again, handing the maid the towels with a wink.

"Exactly. You know me…" Luna paused, blinked twice, then yelled, startling the maid again "I know what your suggesting young lady, and Princess or not I won't stand for it!"

Serenity the younger just giggled and ran for it. Tripping a few meters later and sliding into the throne room in a rather undignified but still greatly amused heap.

At least she was amused till Luna caught up intent on some recreational regicide. It wasn't till laughter penetrated their miniature war that they realized where they landed and froze.

"My Luna, should I be worrying about a Coup?" The Queen Serenity chuckled, setting the reports she had been reading down on the table next to her throne, The Senshi of Pluto hiding her own grin behind her hand.

The princess giggled as the moon cat stuttered in horror. "Come on Luna, all work and no fun makes a boring kitty."

"I am not boring!" Luna declared, standing and trying to pull her shattered dignity around her like a cloak. With a flare of light she assumed her human form, a simple gray gown forming around her shoulders. "I'm sorry to have disturbed you, your Royal Majesty."

"Oh just the contrary, you happened in just in time to break the tension."

"Tension?"

Serenity the elder nodded. "Oh yes, I was just reading this dispatch I just received from the princess of Mercury. It seems that our lead Senshi and a certain white cat-boy of our familiarity didn't quite carry off their duties as planned." The silver-blue eyes of the queen noted her advisor's wince. "I take it you've received Artemis's report. Or did Mina loose their traditional game of Rock, Paper, Scissors this time?"

"No, this time it was Artemis." Luna replied with a forlorn tone in her voice. She ignored Serena's comment about how he always throws paper and continued. "He claims that the cult managed to summon one of Metalla's minions, and that the destruction of the Temple of Southern Wisdom on Mercury couldn't be saved without risking innocent civilians outside the structure."

"And he's probably telling the truth." Serenity shook her head. "These situations are becoming more and more common lately. I almost sent Mars along, and now I'm sure I'm going to have to start."

Luna stood up straight, and against her best instincts defended the two warriors. "My Queen, while they are a bit unorthodox at times, and Artemis especially has a rather… colorful history, there is none more loyal to the throne and they are two of the best in their respective fields. If they said it was unavoidable, it was."

"I have no doubts of that Luna, so you can stop defending your boyfriend. We forgave him a long time ago." Serenity and Pluto both had to fight a giggle at the look of horror that crossed the black moon cats face at her description of the white Mau being her boyfriend. "Mina leads the Senshi for a reason, and as for Artemis… We all know he's the best investigator in the Guardians. Have them report when they get back to the Moon. For now we have a meeting with the diplomatic mission from earth scheduled for an hour from now and I need to steal you away from Serena to prepare."

The Queen stood, and led her advisor out of the room. Serena stood and dusted off her own white gown and walked over to her mothers throne and Pluto. She lifted the reports off the pile and glanced through them. Her cheerful disposition evaporated quickly "This many attacks?"

Pluto nodded. "Your mother specifically asked me to look into them at the Festival of Revelations next month. I don't know if it'll be knowledge I can share though. I can't help but feel there's a pattern but none of the future Pluto's will give me permission to look into them directly until the festival. They're being even more frustratingly vague then usual."

Serena ignored the chance to jibe the frequently ambiguous Senshi of Pluto. "Then this might not be the last temple to get knocked down in the fighting."

"No your royal highness, I can guarantee you it's not."

Serena tried not to shiver. When Pluto chose to be formal, things were usually looking bleak.

AN: Before anyone says anything, yes some characters are going to be a bit OOC at times. This is a first incarnation (Or pre-freeze dried brain) so there's personality difference. As for Pluto, she was far more restricted in what she was allowed to look at in the Silver Millennium so she doesn't know the end is coming yet.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Heck, I don't think I even own this Disclaimer!

Moon Cats: Silver

Chapter One:

Artemis looked out the view port beside his seat in the Imperial shuttle, enjoying the view in spite of the confrontation he knew was coming once they landed. The moon floated, just above the Earth as if caught in a celestial dance with her green neighbor and it was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. He was sure of that, since every time he saw the view he thought that.

And he'd never really expected to see it at all, was the funny part. He'd been born to a relatively insignificant family among the Mau, or Moon Cats as the humans had dubbed them shortly after they first became fully aware of the sentient specie some thousand years ago, and hadn't ever been expected to achieve much. Relatively poorly educated, a warrior among a people of philosophers, he was generally viewed as a rebel at best, and a criminal at worst.

The white haired neko-jin snorted in private humor. The truth was that he WAS a criminal, or was one before his pardon. He'd been forced, due to the generally destitute status of his family, to commit crimes among his own people just to survive. Nothing major, petty theft here and there, but Mau justice wasn't forgiving and he were soon banished from his people's subterranean city for his unwillingness to accede to his peoples traditions of "law abiding peacefulness".

Now, years later, he could admit he was a poorly behaved jerk. At the time, however, he'd felt justified in his behavior, and being forced to the humans surface cities had just made the chip carried on his shoulder bigger. It got to the point that the band multi-specie roughs he'd fallen in with didn't have to work real hard to get him to help and try to steal something from the palace of all places!

It wasn't meant to be a big job, no stealing the crown jewels or anything like that. It was intended to be just an attempt to sneak in as extra help to steal some silverware and other knick knacks. Artemis's job was to inform anyone asking about the extra wait staff that they'd been called in at the last minute. Everyone knew the Mau were extremely honest and would never lie about something like that.

It even worked, up until Artemis decided to do some sneaking around on his own and stumbled across two other waiters who weren't supposed to be there. They weren't stealing silver, however, but had just kicked the queens Mau advisor into a wall in the process of attempting to kidnap the four year old Princess Serenity!

The Mau's ability to shift form normally put them into good stead when fighting normal toughs, but the black furred Moon Cat hadn't realized they were there in time and had been knocked out quickly. Artemis, who for all his faults was a relatively loyal subject of the Serenity line, took advantage of their own distraction the same way.

To this day he still doesn't know how the fight ended up on the dance floor, or where they'd gotten the other three friends to help fight with him, but he was really happy that the senior Senshi were all there for the party.

His friends, being the true friends they were, were most noted for their absence.

He was arrested when they figured out he was trespassing as well, and questioned by the guard. The silver he'd snuck into his sub-space pocket had hurt his case severely and he'd just resigned himself to being sent to prison with the goons he'd fought when none other then the Queen herself came to his cell and peered at him. At her side was the black furred advisor, now in her own human form and standing one step back from her.

"He'll do." Serenity said with a nod. "Get him cleaned up and trained Luna."

Apparently he'd avoided the prison, but at times he still wondered if he'd lucked out or not.

* * *

"HEY ARTEMIS!" the long haired warrior jumped in surprise. That was understandable since the high pitched yell originated only a few inches from his ear. "What you thinking about?" The princess and Senshi of Venus asked with a smile on her face.

"Just, stuff." Artemis answered intelligently. He always let himself get introspective when he anticipated a Luna Lecture.

"Luna stuff?"

Artemis groaned. She was in that mood again. "Mina, would you focus here please. And NOT on me and Luna's non-existent love lives. We blew up a freaking temple; you know we're going to get raked over the coals for this one!"

"No, I don't think we will." The blond said, settling into the seat next to her advisor. "You see, Guardian Commander Artemis, we had to do it."

"How do you figure that arguments going to work."

"Well you see if they wanted the temple intact they'd have sent someone more subtle then us."

The white haired cat marveled at her so called logic. "Who? Someone like Saturn?"

Mina shrugged, and then giggled. "So really, what were you thinking about?"

"How I got my job." Artemis admitted. "Looking out at the moon, it's hard to ignore how far I've come."

"Yep, my own little street punk, that's what you are." The princess of Venus teased. "But seriously, why are you always so worried about that? You aren't some recruit dodging a jail sentence any more! You're a commander in the Lunar Guard, my partner, and probably one of the most respected Mau in the solar system, after Luna and Hecate. You know you don't have to worry about being good enough for her."

"Always back to that."

"When we come towards the moon, I can feel you thinking about it. Senshi of love, remember."

"I know… and I know I shouldn't worry about it, but I do. Luna's family has actual estates that boarder on being a palace in their own right. Did you know that before we were forced to leave our home world and we firmly came into Serenities Union her ancestors were OUR royalty?"

"I seem to remember you mentioning it, yeah." Venus nodded, sitting back as the shuttle jerked upon entering the moon's atmosphere. "But that was in the past, and besides, if Serena can fall in love with some Earth prince, then you can definitely score at least one date with Luna!"

"I just don't know."

Mina shook her head. "Fine, here's the deal. You ask her out before we leave the moon again, or I will use my disguise pen to make myself look like you and do it in your place!"

"You wouldn't have a tail." Artemis pointed out.

"And she'd notice that how, Mr. 'I need to get another long coat, I only have thirty'. I swear you shop as much as I do! Let's not get started on how long it takes you to do your hair."

"Fine, fine, I'll… I'll ask her."

"Good kitty. I'll get you some cat nip later."

* * *

"No, I absolutely will not go easy on him Serena." Luna stomped her foot, the effect being much more impressive in her current human form then when the argument started and she was feline.

Serena sighed. "Oh come on, we both know they walked into a nightmare situation." The princess said, for the fifth time. "And they did need to deal with that cult before it could grow large enough to start summoning Youma. At the end of the day, they did what had to be done."

"Yes, but we both know that they could have probably done it with less destruction if either of them were to really use subtlety." Luna argued back.

"You don't have to be harder on him because you like him, you know."

"Yes…" Luna froze, having barely stopped before completely confirming her princess's suspicion. "Damn it, I'm not harder on him because I like him Serena. I am harder on him because he needs me to be."

The princess of the moon shrugged, and glanced out the window of the space depot, noting the shuttle baring Venus's symbol landing on the tarmac. "Maybe he does, we both know Arty can be a bit… reckless at times. He is still one of our best, and you do still care about him."

"It doesn't matter even if I do Serenity. I doubt we'll ever progress past the point we are now." Luna turned, and walked away.

Serena sighed, then opened the communicator she wore constantly on her wrist. "Luna's a wash, how'd lover boy go."

"Actually, I think he's going to break down and ask her." Venus's voice came from the small device. "He's been wanting to for weeks now, I just had to give him a shrug. Did you get Luna to tone down the lecture?"

"She'd say no, but Ms. Kitty did that soft denial of future, spin around and walk away thing that means she's going to stick to a force two for this one. You won't be needing your ear plugs I suppose."

"Good, then he might just ask her." The Venus Senshi chuckled.

The conversation was then interrupted by Luna's voice coming through the speaker "You both should be ashamed of yourselves! You comported yourself with NO sense of dignity or restraint!"

"There she is, talk to you later." Venus said, and signed off.

Serena just chuckled to herself, and strode away. The palace should be far enough away not to hear her berating them and if she was already using the word "comported" she wasn't going to have enough steam to get there, anyway.

AN: I hate writers block. Just thought you'd like to know. I'm trying to get back in the flow of things, but then I have been for something like a year or two now. Forgive me, and please keep reading! I just had to get things moving along, so I'm sorry if this one wasn't to exciting or informative. Did give you some of Artemis's history. Don't know why, but I got the impression our white kitty is a bit of a rogue and ran with it. A dark past, just the thing to draw a good girl like Luna, eh?

I do note that I'm going a bit AU from some events in the much MUCH later Sailor Moon, but to be honest I'm not a walking Sailor Moon Database. Besides, super Moon Cats are enough without making Luna the Senshi of a long lost home world… well for this story line anyhow. Perhaps in the Walkabout story?


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I claim to disclaim as I do not deserve the acclaim of what others claim.

Disclaimer clarification: I don't own Sailor Moon.

Moon Cats: Silver Millinium

Chapter Three:

"And we will not, and I mean not, unleash any senshi powers or weird staff originate explosions unless and until the situation warrants it."

In spite of what Amy of Mercury, aka Sailor Mercury, might have assumed Artemis was actually still paying attention. Only Mina had actually fallen asleep. "We get it, Princess. It's a low intensity, quiet mission. No kaboom until someone else kabooms."

Amy sighed, rubbing her nose just beneath where her data-visor rested. "Actually we shouldn't even then. The gathering of planetary diplomats on Saturn is happening in Saturn's hall, the oldest structure in the solar system. It's the only building to survive the wars that followed the fall of the Golden Empire, as well as the intervening centuries. Even the Palace of the Moon is younger by over one hundred years."

Mina surprised both cat and fellow Sailor Soldier by asking "Then why the heck did they send us? We're like the queens two man demolitions team."

"Some of the Metalla cults that have turned up recently have gotten into the habit of using suicide strikes in attempts to score victories for their deluded religion." Amy explained. "If it comes down to the building or the diplomats, the choice is clear. However, if anything less than total destructive force is enough, we'll use it. Actually, it's WHY we were chosen. My ice is well suited towards disabiling an opponent while your chains and precise attacks are ideal to not causing structural damage."

"Than why bring Artemis? His staff is about as safe to be around as Serena during gymnastics training." The Senshi of Venus observed.

To this Amy smiled slightly, and wryly. "Something about a certain black cat being unlucky… or was that a white cat having no chance at GETTING lucky… I get the folklore confused sometime."

"Funny." Artemis growled. "And you're the one who's supposed to show us how Serenities officers and protectors should 'comport' themselves."

"I am a model of propriety."

"And the biggest gossip of us all. Don't think I'm fooled by the shy girl routine." Artemis grinned at Amy's blush. "We all remember who it was who let slip about Serena and Endymion to the queen."

"You…"

"Oh look, we've landed."

"Excellent." Amy said hurredly. "Shall we disembark the shuttle then?"

Both Cat and Blonde laughed as they followed Amy off the ship, only to freeze a step behind her at the sign of chaos and near rioting in the grounds of the Saturn Royal household. Artemis, the first to recover from the chaos consuming the normal calm, nearly staid people of Saturn, reached out and grabbed a passer by's arm. "What's happening?"

"The princess… she…. The princess has shown the sign!"

Mina grabbed his other arm. "What sign. What are you talking about."

Before the man answered Artemis released his grip on the man, and shook the Princess of Venus's hand loose, letting him run away. "He means The Sign, Mina."

"I don't understand."

"Saturn's sign." Amy stated coldly. "The princess of Saturn has revealed herself to be Sailor Saturn."

"But Saturn only arrises…"

"When the end is near." Artemis finished for his partner. "You two go ahead and find out what really happened, and confim it's true."

"What are you going to do?"

Artemis frowned. "Call Luna. At least this she can't blame on me."

"At least this one can't be blamed on Artemis." Serenity observed dryly as she glared at the report floating on a holographic screen in front of her throne.

"No majesty. Actually, according to both Venus and Mercury, he's been handling Saturn well. He's been in near constant contact with me for advice on training and education." Luna replied.

The queen waved her hand, causing the screen to vanish. She turned to her most trusted, and feline, advisor. "How bad does he think it is."

"Well, the good news is, historically, Saturn is usually called when she is young, but isn't needed until she's fully an adult. The Princess of Saturn is merely eleven years old, so it should be a decade or more before whatever disaster she was called for can come to fruition."

"Has anyone ever managed to prevent what Saturn came for?"

"Twice." Luna replied optimistically, though her tone grew grim quickly. "Though that is out of over two hundred occurances of the Senshi of Silence."

"I'll take a one percent chance to none at all." Serenity turned to Pluto. "What do we know about happening, right now, that could blossom into a problem of the scale to need Saturn?"

"These things are hard to predict." The Senshi of time admitted. "However, the three most likely issues are our continuing conflict with the Earth Kingdoms, the appearances and upswings of so many Metalla cults, or the military intentions of Earths self proclaimed "Queen" Beryl. Were I to place money on the issue, I'd bet on the Metalla issue."

"Why?"

"Earth and the Silver Kingdoms have been in some level of conflict for generations, ever since the fall of the Golden Empire. It's never managed to spin completely out of control, even on occasions where I or my predecessors foresaw the possibility in the Gates. As for Beryl, she's minor, regional noble who's gotten delusions of grandeur. The Earth Kingdoms four General Kings and Endymion himself lead the armies positioned to contain her. If the need to destroy her arose Jedite, their least experienced general, would be able to destroy her alone. Against all four, she'll be nothing more than a historical foot note, if that." Pluto shrugged. "Going with the normal momentum of time, that means it has to be the cults."

Luna spoke up then. "It make sense. They've been turning up all over the place, with little rhyme or reason. If there's actually some malevolent force behind them…"

"Then we've got a serious concern on our hands." Serenity sighed. "Luna, order Artemis to return to the palace, with Princess Saturn. Mercury is to stay with the Royal family of Saturn to assist in maintaining order until the population gets used to the idea of the… Messiah of Silence returning once more. Have Venus join Mars in her investigations into the possibility of the cults leadership having settled on Phobos."

"And to think, I was happy she was stuck doing that when I found out about Saturn." Pluto muttered. "Mars in the thick of the riots that Mina is reporting taking place… Raye's good and she's got control, but the sheer stupidity of it…"

"She'd have gone off even more half cocked than the Twins." Serenity finished for her. "I hate separating those two, but Mina and Raye are our best door kickers, and unfortunately you're going to be way to busy to tutor Saturn, Luna."

"I was going to ask why you were going to assign Artemis to her, but why will I be busy?"

"While I deal with the flood of panicked communiqués from the other planets, you're going to help my daughter arrange a grand ball."

"A ball?" Luna asked. "Is that wise?"

"For the opportunity it'll give all those panicked leaders to come and bend my ear directly, while pretending to be completely unconcearned for the general population… it's very wise. Until we can deflect Saturn's target, or until she destroys whatever it is she's here to destroy… and I pray it doesn't come to that for poor Hotaru's sake… we'll likely be having them regularly.

"Of course, my queen. It shall be done."

AN: Okay, I know, you thought I'd let this die. Well, I didn't. I have, however, been trying to work on actual commercially publishable work, and have been working with my Fiancee on a web-comic. If anyone's curious about the comic the link is on my profile as my web page. Other than that, I hopefully will have something else up soon. Thanks for your patience.


	4. Chapter 4

Moon Cats: Silver Millennium

Disclaimer: While I have returned, sadly, it's without the rights to Sailor Moon. Artemis lied to me.

Chapter Four

Hotaru flinched as the people in the spaceport shied away from her and her tiny entourage. Her hearing, stronger now that she had awakened, heard their whispers, and fears.

She nearly jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Only one person, even among those servants who were loyal enough to her to stay, still touched her willingly. "They're terrified of me."

Artemis squeezed the tiny girls shoulder lightly. He considered telling her they weren't, but it would have been a lie. "Yes, I'm afraid they are."

"Why? I would never hurt them."

"They fear you because of what you represent, your highness. Not what you are." Artemis explained, crouching down so he could meet the shorter girl's eyes. He saw the tears glittering in her purple orbs and wished he could make them go away. "They are afraid of what you were born to fight."

"But I don't even know what that is!"

"Nor do I, or they." Artemis agreed. "The quickest way to terrify someone is with the unknown."

"I wish I was the seventh Saturn. Or the twenty fourth." Hotaru sighed.

Artemis had to think for a moment. "The seventh, called the day we discovered the so called "Apocalypse planet" which was headed for a collision with Mars and the twenty fourth who was called when the Hephaestus battle planetoid began it's war with the kingdom. Yes, I suppose those girls had it easier." Artemis admitted. "Though unlike most of the Saturns, they didn't survive their battle. And the bulk of the rest are now well respected as heroes."

"Not all of them." The girl cursed with the power of Saturn observed, looking into Artemis eyes sadly."

"No. Not all of them." Artemis agreed with something akin to agony in his heart. But it was deep down, and not really his in any meaningful way. Not for a long time, now. "Come along, we can't miss the shuttle."

"They'll wait." Hotaru sighed, though she began walking again. "They would be to frightened not too."

"Hotaru…"

"You might shoot them down."

Her soft giggle, weak though it was, warmed Artemis's heart.

Serena glanced at Luna as she stepped into the gallery. Even high above the council chambers floor the argument was a loud, raging monster so she could only nod to her friend and teacher.

Luna sat next to her, looking over the railing.

Serenity sat at the head of the table, the King of Earth settled at the foot. Neither were speaking, they didn't have too. Both of them understood the significance of Saturn's appearance to well to bother yelling about it.

That didn't stop the other royal houses.

"I demand the girl be sent far from the kingdom!" Yelled the Queen of Uranus. Tall, unyielding, she'd been passed over by fate when her younger sister had been chosen as the Uranus of her generation and had become heir to the throne. The fact that her sister was killed only a few years later, returning the inheritance to her, had done nothing to mellow her. Nor had her daughters Awakening.

"And I demand she be brought to the moon immediately, for proper training by our greatest minds!" The king of Mars countered. "Think of what she could achieve if we don't duplicate the mistakes of the past!"

"And I insist she be trained as tradition dictates. Away from those who could be harmed." Insisted Bast, the chamberlain of the Mau and their representative. "Saturn's powers are too mighty to risk in the center of power, and far too important to squander by sending her away."

Mercury's Prime Minister and Neptune's Prince both nodded, while the Queen of Saturn scoffed. "With your peoples history, I would have assumed you'd side with Uranus. How many of Saturn's daughters have you tried to assassinate over the years?"

Bast was cold. "One hundred and twelve."

That shut the entire table up.

Serena, confused, looked at Luna, who was still visibly flinching. "What?" the princess whispered.

"It's… old history. It hasn't happened in many decades." Luna assured her quietly.

"What happened… and why?"

"Can we stop yelling at each other for a minute, and actually talk!" The Queen of Venus said, finally. "I think we can all agree that, regardless of her appearance, we need to figure out exactly why Sailor Saturn has awakened in the first place!"

"Saturn." Bast said, her tone making it clear the lack of "Sailor" before the name was a correction, not an identification. She ignored the Queen of Saturn's snarl. "But I agree with you. We should try to discern why. Queen Pluton?"

Sailor Pluto, now in a modified version of her uniform, longer and more formal, nodded. "I have spent hours at the gates… what is weeks for me when I am there… and I have narrowed it down to the most likely possibility. Metallia has found a strong enough follower to awaken."

"The demon queen?" Earths King growled. "How many Saturn's will fighting her cost us?"

"My thoughts exactly." Serenity agreed. "We should have been allowed to deal with her, decades ago." No one missed that she meant a royal We.

The table exploded into madness. No one could hear what was being said for all the yelling.

Then, with loud and echoing thuds, the King of Earth brought the table to order by the expedient of pounding the table with his fist.

"Queen Serenity… I can not count the number of times this has been brought up over the years." He said calmly once quiet returned. "And I sympathize with your desire to end her threat, but it can not be allowed."

"Yes! The line of Serenity is to important to risk." Mars agreed.

Mercury also stood. "We can't take the risk of loosing you."

"But my daughter can carry on the line, if the worst was to happen."

Serena gasped, causing Luna to put a comforting, and restraining, hand on her shoulder.

"That's not relevant." The King of Earth stated. "Nor, for me, is preserving your lineage, though it would be a shame for so clever an opponent should fall."

"Traitor." The Prince of Neptune hissed.

"You're thinking my many times great grandfather, boy. He's the one who seceded." The King said mildly. "But either way, the Silver Crystal cannot be weaponized. That would not only steal from the nobility of the artifact, and the Solar Systems reputation throughout space for justice, but violate over a hundred non-aggression treaties. At least twelve of those are with Star Powers strong enough to persecute total war on us. No, Serenity. You cannot fight her yourself.

Serenity frowned, but with a single nod accepted his point.

"We will continue as we always have, then." Serenity said, this time with the tone of command. She was a good leader, capable and eager to listen to advisors… or in the case of the King of Earth opponents… but she was still the leader. "Saturn shall be trained in the Asteroid Belt, once she has finished her pilgrimage. I trust Hecate is prepared to meet her?"

The Chamberlain of the Mau nodded. "She should be meeting her, even now."

"And what do we do if she doesn't survive." Mars growled.

"Pray." Serenity replied.

The shuttle bounced and rolled in the comet's trail. Hotaru gripped the arms of her seat, and couldn't help but notice the claw marks where she was grabbing.

She looked at Artemis, who didn't seem bothered by the ride at all. "You… Is this normal?"

"No idea." He replied, tapping on a computer held in his hand. "I've never been here before."

"What? Then why are you so calm?"

"You can change at will, and surround us in a sphere of atmosphere if you wish. Why would I worry?" Artemis observed.

Saturn screamed as the shuttle bounced and creaked around them.

"Because I won't form anything if we explode!"

"Meh." Artemis replied. The truth was, he wasn't totally sure if he wasn't HOPING to explode. "We're almost there."

He gestured towards the front of the shuttle, the Mau vehicle being open, so she could see through the front view screen. What she saw shocked her.

The surface of the comet, what would become known as Haley's Comet in a distant future, was almost perfectly smooth, not the pock marked wreck she expected from astronomy classes about comets and asteroids.

And resting in a bubble of calm, just barely coming into view, was a landing pad.

"What… What is it?"

"A secret, that you wouldn't have been taught about. And I'm sorry." Artemis replied, as they slid into the calm dome of energy, and landed. "I'm sorry, but you'll have to see for yourself."

They exited the shuttle, Artemis one step behind Hotaru, wearing his formal armor for the first time since Hotaru had met him. The symbol of the Moon covered both breasts, but he wore a circlet with the symbol of Saturn, which marked him as her guardian and teacher.

A dozen Mau, in humanoid form, stood surrounding the shuttle as they stepped off. They did not salute Hotaru as she passed, but each one covered their eyes as Artemis did. Hotaru was perplexed. This was a Mau tradition for mourning, not salute.

They descended in a lift, down into a long tunnel. Walking, more Mau, some guards in humanoid form, some feline and harder to identify, all watched them pass. No fear showed on their faces or in their eyes, but every one covered their eyes as Artemis passed.

"Why are they doing that?" She asked softly.

"Because I am your advisor." He replied, just as softly. He explained no further.

Finally they reached huge doors, the symbol of the Mau, Nine stars flying away from each other. It opened soundlessly onto a small throne room.

In the center sat the oldest, and some claimed wisest, moon cat in the Solar System.

"Enter, Cursed One. Let us see you."

Hotaru shivered. The cats voice was so cold. Slowly she walked into the throne room, trying not to squeak as the doors sealed behind them.

"Such a small thing. But then you always are, when you come to me." Hecate observed. "Do you know where you are?"

"The Heart Star Comet." Hotaru replied.

Hecate smirked… it wasn't friendly enough to be a smile. She turned her attention to Artemis. "You resisted the urge to tell her, my Ghost. I am impressed. Your reputation didn't suggest restraint."

Artemis frowned, surprising Hotaru. The Mau worshipped Hecate almost as much as they did Serenity. "I was tempted, My Queen, but I resisted. Better she hear the story from you."

"And if I judge her unworthy?"

"You won't."

"And if I do, Exile-Returned?"

Artemis didn't wince at the name. Though Hotaru had no idea what was happening, she thought that was important. "You don't have enough guards to deal with what happens then, Hecate."

The Queen of the Moon cats stared, while her guards gripped weapons more tightly. Hotaru really wished she knew what was going on.

"You'd threaten me, boy?"

"No." Artemis replied. He also didn't claim she misunderstood.

Hecate laughed then. "Did you ever truly return, Artemis, formerly known only as Temis?"

"Did you ever truly let me return… My queen?"

"Now… it seems I must." Hecate turned to Saturn once more. "You will receive a new trainer, one more educated in restraint. However, first you must be educated by me."

Hecate jumped from her seat, shifting into a humanoid form… though it was still more cat then woman. "This is not a comet you stand on, Senshi of Silence, cursed bringer of Destruction. What you are standing on is one of the Nine Continents of Mau. The homeworld of our people."

Hotaru gasped. "But your world was destroyed by some calamity."

"Yes, it was." Hecate replied. "Her name was Tironia. She was the seventeenth Senshi of Silence."

"What!" Hotaru took a step back, looking around wildly.

"Welcome to what your power has destroyed, 'Sailor' Saturn. And feel our despair."

AN: I'm back….

This chapter is based on two questions. One: If Usagi could destroy Metallia with the Silver Crystal and NO meaningful knowledge of its use, how could Serenity not when she presumably knew how to use it well? Politics seems the most likely answer. The same reason there was no Sailor Moon in the Silver Millennium.

The Second, why did the cats react so badly to Saturn? You'd think, with their training (swiss cheese brains or not) they'd be more detached from the myth and more aware of the potential benefits of Saturn. Especially since, presumably she was sent forward as well… Basically Hotaru WASN'T necessarily the Awakened Saturn, but just the Saturn from the past who probably already did her job. My answer… A shared pain and tragedy.

What do you think? And for those really wanting to ride me now, my twitter is Shadoe_Fox if you want to follow me. Thanks!


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